Chapter 36: Skull Mountain Market

Relying on his understanding of Zhao Xuhe from several lifetimes, Lu Yang quickly became familiar with him, allowing Zhao Xuhe to feel respect from an outsider for the first time in a long while.

To be honest, he hadn’t felt this way for many years.

Ever since the price of Substitute Death Yin Puppets crashed and [Coiled Dragon Island] disappeared bizarrely—karma that even his Master, the Heaven-Mending Peak Master, couldn’t calculate—his days had become increasingly difficult.

First, his Master became more and more disappointed in him. Second, his cultivation had stagnated— a full ten years had passed, yet he still remained at the Middle Stage of Qi Refining, unable to break the bottleneck. If there was any “good” news, it was that his Master, seeing his condition deteriorating, he canceled his engagement with his Junior Sister.

The vicissitudes of life, the warmth and coldness of human relationships—Zhao Xuhe had tasted them all in these ten years.

Therefore, when he heard that Lu Yang had left the market in time at the peak price of Substitute Death Yin Puppets and achieved financial freedom, Zhao Xuhe’s eyes turned red with envy.

“Sigh, Junior Brother, your Dao Heart is firm and not corrupted by wealth. Your future achievements will be limitless. It’s a pity I didn’t have a Dao Heart like yours back then…”

“Senior Brother must not belittle himself.”

Lu Yang comforted him in a low voice. “Fortune comes and goes, not determined by a single moment. As long as Senior Brother is determined on the Immortal Path, what do temporary setbacks count for?”

“You are right.”

Zhao Xuhe nodded, seeming a bit cheered up. Then he glanced tentatively at Lu Yang, opened his mouth, but didn’t say anything.

Such posturing made his intentions clear as day to Lu Yang.

He wanted to borrow money.

Lu Yang smiled slightly. Since Zhao Xuhe didn’t say it, he naturally wouldn’t bring it up proactively. After all, if it’s obtained too easily, one won’t know how to cherish it.

Just then, a voice suddenly came from the flying boat:

” We have arriced at [Skull Mountain]!”

…

Northern Frontier—[Skull Mountain].

Though called a “mountain,” it was actually a large mountain range extending for hundreds of miles. Peaks gathered like clusters, waves raged like anger. Every inch of land brimmed with spiritual energy.

It wasn’t without reason that the Saint Sect established a market here. Although far inferior to the Heaven-Connecting Cloud Sea, for worldly rogue cultivators, [Skull Mountain] could already be called a treasured land. In the very center of the mountain range was a White Bone Cave—where the Primordial Saint Sect’s market was located.

“The Feng Shui here… is a place of Extreme Yin.”

On the deck of the flying boat, Lu Yang looked down at the [Skull Mountain] earth veins, somewhat surprised. “As long as a cultivator is buried here, they will inevitably transform into a jiangshi within ten years…”

“Junior Brother has a sharp insight.”

Rosy light suddenly appeared. Fairy Feixia with her feather cloak fluttering, walked out slowly. “That is why the Saint Sect sent us to garrison [Skull Mountain] and maintain order in the market.”

“As Junior Brother said, due to the special Feng Shui, a large-scale corpse tide appears in [Skull Mountain] every thirty years. These jiangshi have no intelligence and only know how to devour the living. This is the risk of [Skull Mountain], but also an opportunity. After all, these jiangshi are top-quality materials for artifact refining.”

After explaining, Fairy Feixia continued:

“The [Hundred-Bones Restoration Grand Formation] is set up within the market. Fellow Daoist Lu and Fellow Daoist Chen are responsible for two of the four formation eyes. Shall Junior Brother and I take one each of the remaining two?”

“I will listen to Senior Sister’s instructions.”

Hearing this, Fairy Feixia nodded. Then her embroidered brows frowned slightly as she glanced at Zhao Xuhe beside Lu Yang, who had wide eyes and a face full of disbelief.

“What is it?” Lu Yang asked curiously. “Senior Sister knows Senior Brother Zhao?”

“…Don’t know him.”

Fairy Feixia withdrew her gaze indifferently, no longer looking at Zhao Xuhe. Instead, she smiled gently at Lu Yang. “I will have to ask Junior Brother to look after me in the future.”

After speaking, she rode a streak of rosy light and flew away.

Zhao Xuhe remained in place with a complex expression. He had clearly guessed that since Lu Yang could garrison the market, his strength was definitely not the Middle Stage of Qi Refining he had sensed.

“Senior Brother Zhao?”

Lu Yang’s voice came. Zhao Xuhe’s movements froze.

His face showed expressions of joy and desolation. His lips moved, but no sound came out. Finally, his movements became respectful, and he called out clearly:

“My Lord.”

Seeing this, Lu Yang could only sigh helplessly. “Senior Brother Zhao, I still have official duties to handle. If you have any difficulties in the future, contact me at any time.”

After saying this, he also rode a streak of light and left.

Only Zhao Xuhe remained in place, his expression fluctuating uncertainly. The previous multitude of emotions quickly retracted, and what flowed in his eyes was a look of contemplation.

“He’s wary of me. Seems I was too hasty.”

Entering the market, Lu Yang recalled Zhao Xuhe’s reaction just now and couldn’t help but chuckle lightly. “Just as I expected, he actually has another purpose for coming to this market.”

“Good, good.”

“In this life, I shall treat him as a bosom friend!”

Lu Yang wasn’t afraid of Zhao Xuhe being wary, because he had enough patience.

If necessary, he could even give up this life and truly be lifelong friends with Zhao Xuhe, gaining intelligence to pave the way for the next life!

While pondering, Lu Yang had arrived in front of a pavilion.

This place was one of the four formation eyes of the market, and also the area with the most spiritual energy in [Skull Mountain], estimated to be at thirty percent the level of a Saint Sect Cave Abode.

“[Heavenly River Massacre Sword Formation Diagram], rise!”

Lu Yang waved his large sleeve. The [Blood Sun] Sword Pellet flew into the pavilion to preside over the center. Then, Formation Patterns expanded one by one, beginning to replace the original Formation Patterns.

Although the market’s [Hundred-Bones Restoration Grand Formation] was even more wondrous than the [Heavenly River Massacre Sword Formation], Lu Yang only occupied one of the formation eyes. Furthermore, as a Formation Master, Lu Yang didn’t like entrusting his life and property to a formation set up by an outsider.

“I have quite a few secrets after all…”

“Moreover this [Skull Mountain Market] has been established for so long. No matter how brilliant this [Hundred-Bones Restoration Grand Formation] is, its effects are already known to everyone.”

The more details exposed, the easier it is to be targeted.

So if a powerful figure really attacked [Skull Mountain Market], they would inevitably be prepared with methods to counter the [Hundred-Bones Restoration Grand Formation].

So at that time, this formation might not be of any use.

Having said that, Lu Yang didn’t discard the formation directly. Instead, he opened a new area within the pavilion, hiding a formation within a formation, which could be considered a trump card.

After doing all this, Lu Yang nodded with satisfaction.

Immediately after, he waved his large hand and named the pavilion “Blood-Clad Tower”— formally settling down in [Skull Mountain Market] and giving it a name for the outside world.

Just then, more than a dozen streaks of light flew over.

These people were all Saint Sect disciples arranged within Lu Yang’s area. Their cultivation was generally at the Initial and Middle Stages of Qi Refining, and they were all here to do missions in the market.

After the streaks of light flew into the Blood-Clad Tower, they dissipated one after another, revealing cultivators of various appearances, men and women, old and young. They came to the terrace with looks of awe and saw a blood-clad young man of handsome and elegant appearance leaning against the railing, looking down at all of them with a smile.

“Greetings, Tower Master!”

The group of disciples dared not be negligent and bowed in succession. Although they could call each other brothers within the Saint Sect, outside the sect, they still had to address each other by position.

Not to mention this was a Senior Brother at the Late Stage of Qi Refining!

Initial, Middle, Late, and Perfection of the Qi Refining Realm. They looked like just four small realms, but the gap between them could completely be called a chasm.

“At ease.”

Looking at the row of figures below, Lu Yang nodded with satisfaction, thinking to himself, “Not bad. At a glance, they are all beasts of burden— no capable people.”

The Saint Sect had many faults, but the cultivation environment was indeed top-tier. So generally speaking, cultivators who chose external transfer were either like Lu Yang and Fairy Feixia, aiming for Foundation Establishment, or like these people before his eyes—poor aptitude, old age, no money, unable to muddle along in the Saint Sect anymore.

“As long as I want to, one person and one sword can kill everyone here…”

Those with intentions to build a faction might be dissatisfied with this situation, but Lu Yang felt this was just right. The atmosphere of the weak made him feel very at ease…

“Dismissed. Decide small matters yourselves— no need to come to me.”

Lu Yang casually gave instructions and directly announced the guests’ departure. Then he sealed the Blood-Clad Tower, preparing to cultivate peacefully like this, remaining in seclusion until the Foundation Establishment opportunity appeared!

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